Hull City saw their European dream come to a frustrating end as KSC Lokeren progressed on away goals (agg 2-2), despite the Belgians losing 2-1 at the KC Stadium.
Robbie Brady's early goal settled the early nerves for the Tigers, but Jordan Remacle equalised early in the second half to give the advantage to the visitors.
City gave themselves hope as Brady slotted away a controversial penalty minutes later, but Lokeren held on after Steve Bruce's side were reduced to 10 men with 18 minutes remaining following Yannick Sagbo's harsh dismissal.
In truth, City were scrappy at best and Lokeren just did enough to see out the game, with European qualification eluding the Tigers until some other time.
City needed a bright start to silence the bellowing Lokeren travelling support, and their wishes came true.
Sagbo was caught offside down the right flank, but the Tigers soon won back possession. Simple passing play through the left hand side towards Maynor Figueroa opened gaps in the visitors' defence, and Lokeren failed to deal with his tantalising cross inside the box.
Inside five minutes, Brady was in the right place at the right time to bundle the ball into the net, following a goalkeeper howler from Jerry Verhulst. Early nerves were banished.
Cue the Lokeren response. Frontman Hans Vanaken threatened briefly after heading wide from Giorgos Galitisios' cross, but Curtis Davies had to make an untidy clearance from Vanaken's volley just outside the area.
The Belgian side should've been level when centre-half Mijat Maric saw his free header inside the six-yard box sail over the bar.
Shaky moments followed from City, with David Meyler and company giving away cheap possession. Fortunately, Lokeren were wasteful and spurred many chances with wild shots at goal.
A scrappy first half ended with Meyler almost making amends for his earlier mistakes, though he saw his volley was palmed wide.
From the restart, Lokeren immediately won possession in a bid to pull their way back into the tie. And just as the Tigers did in the first half, the visitors scored an early goal - and the vital away strike.
Captain Killian Overmeire's free-kick forced McGregor into a tip over the bar, and from the resulting corner the ball found its way out to Remacle. The winger discovered power in his boot to beat City at the near post and fire Lokeren into a comfortable advantage. It left City with a mountain to climb.
With two goals now the requirement, the order was soon halved when Brady clinched his second in controversial fashion. Ahmed Elmohamady's cross from the right was adjudged to have been handled away by a Lokeren player. As the Belgians protested to the dithering officials, Brady sent the keeper the wrong way from the spot.
Suddenly, the match had taken another turn as Lokeren were denied a second goal on the night after James Chester was fouled by Koen Persoons on the hour mark.
City were then left to rescue their European dream with 10 men after Sagbo was harshly sent-off for a challenge. Already proving unpopular with the home crowd, referee Ovidiu Hategan made the Tigers' task even more demanding with 18 minutes to go.
Lokeren held on as City tried to turn the screw with the introductions of Nikica Jelavic, Tom Huddlestone, who forced a very late save, and Tom Ince, but to no avail.
